2017 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class MAYBACH towing

Sports tuning
The firmer setting of the suspension tuning in
SPORT mode ensures the best possible contact
with the road. Select this mode when employinga sporty driving style, e.g. on winding country
roads.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles:
XIf indicator lamp;is not lit: press but-
ton :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. If the driving
speed is higher than 75 mph (120 km/h), the
vehicle is automatically lowered by another
0.4 in (10 mm) compared to the normal level
in sport mode.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT
mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
All other models:
XIf indicator lamp;is not lit: press but-
ton :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. Sports suspen-
sion tuning is selected. The vehicle is lowered by 0.4 in (10 mm) compared to the normal
level.
The AIRMATIC
SPORTmessage appears in the
multifunction display.
Comfort tuning
In comfort mode, the driving characteristics of
your vehicle are more comfortable. Therefore,
select this mode if you favor a more comfortable
driving style. Select comfort mode also when
driving fast on straight roads, e.g. on straight
stretches of highway.
XIf indicator lamp;is not lit: press but-
ton :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. Comfort tuning is
selected.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: theAMG Suspen‐
sion System COMFORTmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
All other models: theAIRMATIC COMFORT
message appears on the multifunction dis-
play.
If the driving speed is higher than 75 mph
(120 km/h), the vehicle is automatically low-
ered by another 0.4 in (10 mm) compared to the
normal level in comfort mode.
Load compensation
The vehicle can compensate differences in the
vehicle level by raising or lowering the axles.
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are perma-
nently driven. Together with ESP®, it improves
the traction of your vehicle whenever a drive
wheel spins due to insufficient grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC can
neither reduce the risk of accident nor override
the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot take
account of road, weather and traffic conditions. 4MATIC is only an aid. You are responsible for
the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle
speed, for braking in good time and for staying in
your lane.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
ROnly depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
RAccelerate less when driving.
!Never tow the vehicle with one axle raised.
This may damage the transfer case. Damage
of this sort is not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz Limited Warranty. All wheels must
remain either on the ground or be fully raised.
Observe the instructions for towing the vehi-
Driving systems183
Driving and parking
Z

multifunction display. The audio output is
muted.
If a connection can be made, the Call Con‐
nectedmessage appears in the multifunction
display.
If a mobile phone network and GPS reception
are available, the system transfers data to the
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center,
for example:
Rcurrent location of the vehicle
Rvehicle identification number
The multimedia system display indicates that a
call is active. During the call, you can change to
the navigation menu by pressing the NAVI but-
ton on the multimedia system, for example.
Voice output is not available in this case.
A voice connection is established between the
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center
and the vehicle occupants.
From the remote malfunction diagnosis, the
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center
can ascertain the nature of the problem
(
Ypage 306).
The Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Cen-
ter either sends a qualified Mercedes-Benz tech-
nician or makes arrangements for your vehicle
to be transported to the nearest Mercedes-Benz
Service Center.
You may be charged for services such as repair
work and/or towing.
You can find more information in the separate
mbrace manual.
The system has not been able to initiate a Road- side Assistance call, if:
Rthe indicator lamp for Roadside Assistance
call button Fis flashing continuously.
Rno voice connection to the Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Center was estab-
lished.
This can occur if the relevant mobile phone net-
work is not available, for example.
The Call Failed
message appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
XTo end a call: press the~button on the
multifunction steering wheel.
or
XPress the corresponding multimedia system
button for ending a phone call.
Info call button
XTo call: press Info call button :.
This initiates a call to the Mercedes-Benz Cus-
tomer Assistance Center.
The indicator lamp in Info call button :
flashes while the connection is being made.
The Connecting Call
message appears in
the multifunction display. The audio output is muted.
If a connection can be made, the Call Con‐
nectedmessage appears in the multifunction
display.
If a mobile phone network and GPS reception
are available, the system transfers data to the
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center,
for example:
Rcurrent location of the vehicle
Rvehicle identification number
The multimedia system display indicates that a
call is active. During the call, you can change to
the navigation menu by pressing the NAVI but-
ton on COMAND, for example.
Voice output is not available in this case.
A voice connection is established between the
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center
and the vehicle occupants.
You receive information about operating your
vehicle, about the nearest Mercedes-Benz Ser-
vice Center and about other products and serv-
ices from Mercedes-Benz.
You can find further information on the mbrace
system under "Owners Online" at http://
www.mbusa.com.
Features303
Stowage and features
Z

replaced or changed more frequently. Under
arduous operating conditions, the tires must be
checked more often. Further information can beobtained at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g.
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Driving abroad
An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network is
also available in other countries. You can obtain
further information from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Care
General notes
!
For cleaning your vehicle, do not use any of
the following:
Rdry, rough or hard cloths
Rabrasive cleaning agents
Rsolvents
Rcleaning agents containing solvents
Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces or protective films
with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice scraper.
You could otherwise scratch or damage the
surfaces and protective film.
!Do not park your vehicle for a long period of
time directly after cleaning, particularly after
cleaning the wheel rim with wheel cleaner.
Wheel cleaner can lead to the increased cor-
rosion of the brake discs and pads. Therefore,
drive for a few minutes after cleaning. By
heating up the brakes, the brake discs and
pads dry. The vehicle can then be parked for a
long period of time.
HEnvironmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths in an environmentally responsible man-
ner.
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents recom-
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Washing the vehicle and cleaning the
paintwork
Automatic car wash
GWARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
After the vehicle has been washed, brake
carefully while paying attention to the traffic
conditions until full braking power is restored.
!When DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD func-
tion is activated, the vehicle brakes automat-
ically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or similar situations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
!Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless
Automatic Car Wash as these use special
cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can
damage the paintwork or plastic parts.
!Make sure that:
Rthe side windows and the sliding sunroof
are fully closed
Rthe blower is switched off
Rthe windshield wiper switch is at position 0
Rthe 360° camera or rear view camera is
switched off
The vehicle may otherwise be damaged
!If the SmartKey is within the rear detection
range of KEYLESS-GO, the following situa-
tions, for example, could lead to the uninten-
tional opening of the trunk:
Rusing a car wash
Rusing a power washer
Make sure that the SmartKey is at least 10 ft
(3 m) away from the vehicle.
!Make sure that the automatic transmission
is in neutral position Nwhen washing your
vehicle in a tow-through car wash. The vehicle
may otherwise be damaged.
ROperating with the SmartKey:
Do not remove the SmartKey from the igni-
tion lock. Do not open the driver's door
when the engine is switched off or at very
Care319
Maintenance and care
Z

Where will I find...?
Vehicle tool kit
General notes
The towing eye is located in the stowage well
under the trunk floor.
Some tools for changing a wheel are specific to
the vehicle. For more information on which tire
changing tools are required and approved to
perform a wheel change on your vehicle, consult
a qualified specialist workshop.
Necessary tire-changing tools can include, for
example:
RJack
RWheel chock
RLug wrench
RRatchet wrench
RAlignment bolt
Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit
:Tire sealant filler bottle
;Tire inflation compressor
=Towing eye
XOpen the trunk lid.
XLift the trunk floor upwards (Ypage 289).
XUse the TIREFIT kit (Ypage 329).
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
:Tire sealant filler bottle
;Jack
=Ratchet
?Alignment bolt
AJacking support
BSocket
CLug wrench
DTowing eye
EFolding wheel chock
FTire inflation compressor
The tire-change tool kit is in a tray in the stowage
well under the trunk floor.
XOpen the trunk lid.
XLift the trunk floor upwards (Ypage 289).
iExample: equipment and country-specific
variations possible.
Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Your vehicle may be equipped with:
Rtires with run-flat characteristics
(MOExtended tires) (Ypage 328)
Vehicle preparation is not necessary on vehi-
cles with MOExtended tires
Ra TIREFIT kit (Ypage 327)
Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires are
not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It
is therefore recommended that you additionally
equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you mount
tires that do not feature run-flat properties, e.g.
winter tires. A TIREFIT kit may be obtained from a qualified specialist workshop.
Information on changing and mounting wheels
(
Ypage 362).
Flat tire327
Breakdown assistance

Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
iJumper cables and further information regarding jump-starting can be obtained at any qualified
specialist workshop.
Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
Hybrid vehicles: make sure that you read the
separate operating instructions. You could oth-
erwise fail to recognize dangers, e.g. due to high
voltage.
GWARNING
Functions relevant to safety are restricted or
no longer available if:
Rthe engine is not running.
Rthe brake system or the power steering is
malfunctioning.
Rthere is a malfunction in the voltage supply or the vehicle's electrical system.
If your vehicle is being towed, much more
force may be necessary to steer or brake.
There is a risk of an accident.
In such cases, use a tow bar. Before towing,
make sure that the steering moves freely.
GWARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissible
gross weight of your vehicle, the:
Rthe towing eye could detach itself
Rthe vehicle/trailer combination could roll-
over.
There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the per- missible gross weight of your vehicle.
Details on the permissible gross vehicle weight
of your vehicle can be found on the vehicle iden-
tification plate (
Ypage 370).
!When Active Brake Assist, Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC or the HOLD function is activated,
the vehicle brakes automatically in certain
situations. To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
these systems in the following or similar sit-
uations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
!Make sure that the electric parking brake is
released. If the electric parking brake is faulty,
visit a qualified specialist workshop.
!Secure the tow rope or tow bar to the towing
eye only. Otherwise, the vehicle could
become damaged.
!Do not use the towing eyes for recovery pur-
poses as this could damage the vehicle. If in
doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
!When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. If the tractive power is too high, the
vehicles could be damaged.
!Shift the automatic transmission to Nand
do not open the driver's or front passenger's
door during towing. The automatic transmis-
sion may otherwise shift to position P, which
could damage the transmission.
!Do not tow with sling-type equipment. This
could damage the vehicle.
!The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of 30 mph (50 km/ h)must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles (50km), the entire vehicle must be
raised and transported.
It is better to have the vehicle transported than
to have it towed away.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission damage,
have it transported on a transporter or trailer.
The automatic transmission must be in position N when the vehicle is being towed.
If the automatic transmission cannot be shifted
to position N, have the vehicle transported on a
transporter or trailer.
338Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance

The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
Rcannot turn the SmartKey to position2in the
ignition lock
Rcannot release the electric parking brake
Rcannot shift the automatic transmission to
position N
Disarm the automatic locking feature before the vehicle is towed (
Ypage 84). You could other-
wise be locked out when pushing or towing the
vehicle.
If the vehicle is in a dangerous area, it can be
towed out of that area with both axles on the
ground. In this case, the towing distance must
not be greater than 165 ft (50 m)and must not
exceed a towing speed of 6 mph (10 km/h). For
longer distances, have the vehicle loaded and
transported.
Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye
GWARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be very hot. There is
a risk of burns when removing the rear cover.
Do not touch the exhaust pipe. Take particular
care when removing the rear cover.
The brackets for the screw-in towing eye are
located in the bumpers. They are at the rear and
at the front, under covers :.
XRemove the towing eye from the vehicle tool
kit or the stowage tray (Ypage 327).
XPress the mark on cover:inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
XRemove cover :from the opening.
XScrew in the towing eye clockwise as far as it
will go and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye
XUnscrew and remove the towing eye.
XAttach cover :to the bumper and press until
it engages.
XPlace the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit or
the stowage tray.
Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(
Ypage 338).
The automatic transmission automatically shifts
to position Pwhen you open the driver's or front-
passenger door or when you remove the Smart-
Key from the ignition lock.
In order to ensure that the automatic transmis-
sion stays in position Nwhen towing the vehicle,
you must observe the following points:
XYou must use the SmartKey instead of the
Start/Stop button (Ypage 145).
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary and
that the key is in position 0in the ignition lock.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock.
XDepress and hold the brake pedal.
XShift the automatic transmission to position
N .
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XLeave the SmartKey in position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps
(Ypage 126).
In order to signal a change of direction when
towing the vehicle with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination switch
as usual. In this case, only the indicator lamps
for the direction of travel flash. After resetting
Towing and tow-starting339
Breakdown assistance
Z

the combination switch, the hazard warning
lamp starts flashing again.
Transporting the vehicle
General notes
!When the vehicle is loaded for transport, the
front and rear axles must be stationary and on
the same transportation vehicle. Positioning
over the connection point of the transport
vehicle is not permitted. The drive train may
otherwise be damaged.
!You may only secure the vehicle by the
wheels, not by parts of the vehicle such as
axle or steering components. Otherwise, the
vehicle could be damaged.
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting pur-
poses.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock.
XShift the automatic transmission to position
N.
As soon as the vehicle has been loaded:
XPrevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
XShift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
XSecure the vehicle.
Notes on 4MATIC vehicles
!
Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised, as
doing so will damage the transmission.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed away with both axles on the ground or be loaded up
and transported.
If the vehicle's transmission, front, or rear axle is
damaged, have the vehicle transported on a
truck or trailer.
In the event of damage to the electrical sys-
tem: if the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in position P. To shift
the automatic transmission to position N, you
must provide power to the vehicle's electrical
system in the same way as when jump-starting
(
Ypage 335).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter or
trailer.
Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
!
Vehicles with automatic transmission must
not be tow-started. You could otherwise dam-
age the automatic transmission.
iInformation on "Jump-starting"
(Ypage 335).
Fuses
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you manipulate or bridge a faulty fuse or if
you replace it with a fuse with a higher amper- age, the electric cables could be overloaded.
This could result in a fire. There is a risk of an
accident and injury.
Always replace faulty fuses with the specified
new fuses having the correct amperage.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of the
same rating, which you can recognize by the
color and value. The fuse ratings are listed in the
fuse allocation chart. The fuse allocation chart is
in the vehicle document wallet.
340Fuses
Breakdown assistance